Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, 11th Edition
HURDLE
I. noun
Etymology: Middle English hurdel, from Old English hyrdel; akin to Old High German hurt hurdle, Latin cratis wickerwork, hurdle Date: before 12th century
1. a portable panel usually of wattled withes and stakes used especially for enclosing land or livestock, a frame or sled formerly used in England for dragging traitors to execution,
2. an artificial barrier over which racers must leap, any of various track events in which a series of hurdles must be surmounted, barrier , obstacle ,
II. transitive verb (hurdled; hurdling)
Date: 1896
to leap over especially while running (as in a sporting competition), overcome , surmount , hurdler noun